


match my footsteps to yours

by volta (softlees)



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Ambiguous Relationships, Domestic Fluff, M/M, samchon dk yuup, the one where its 97z with babies but its just 97z with one baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:35:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29010645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softlees/pseuds/volta
Summary: “I don’t get it,” Mingyu huffs, looking put out.Seokmin laughs to defuse the awkwardness. “What don’t you get?”“This,” Mingyu says, gesturing to the scene before him.“I’m just holding a baby,” Seokmin says, matter of factly, holding the baby. But Jiyeon’s not crying or screaming or trying to wiggle out, all of the things that she usually does when Mingyu’s fussing around with her.
Relationships: Kim Mingyu & Lee Seokmin | DK & Xu Ming Hao | The8, Kim Mingyu/Lee Seokmin | DK, Kim Mingyu/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 20
Kudos: 101
Collections: Seventeen Holidays





	match my footsteps to yours

**Author's Note:**

> i need to be stopped. like actually. jae stop baiting me!!!!!!! also pb thank u for ur thoughts and hearing me wail. i watched 15 mins of yt compilations of svt with kids before i couldn't take it anymore. having Very Real Feelings about 97z with kids [dk wants kids so bad he needs to calm down] yeah thought about this for a little bit and then couldn't stop thinking about it until it became this. (also pls suspend disbelief,, in this universe same sex marriage is legal in skor)
> 
> title taken from colde's your dog loves you. enjoy ;___;

For as long as Mingyu can remember, Seokmin has been a warm constant in their lives. 

The three of them used to be inseparable, Mingyu and Minghao and Seokmin, three little musketeers ready to take on the world (re: the tiny cul de sac) in their matching bunny jammies. 

And then they grew up. They turned into Mingyu and Minghao, Seokmin, adjacent. Always hovering on the periphery, shining bright enough to let them know he was there, but polite enough to keep his distance, to never intrude. 

(Mingyu still has trouble figuring this out for himself, sifts through the memories and lets them slip through his fingers like silt, trying to pinpoint the exact moment they began to split apart. Maybe it was inevitable, that time would find all the cracks in their armors and drive its fingers further in, deepening the bruises, creating the wounds. But Mingyu knows otherwise. The three of them were better than that.)

Seokmin has been there for all of Mingyu and Minghao’s firsts — their first meeting, first date, first fight. First house together. First kiss as a married couple. So Mingyu understands why there’s a strange keening in his chest when he wakes up in the dead of night at two in the morning. Seokmin isn’t here for this first, and Mingyu wants so desperately to share it with him. 

What do you say to someone you haven’t talked to in years? _I miss you_ sounds too simple. Even if that were the case, if it could be solved just like that, Mingyu is three years too late. _I’m sorry_ carries too much burden, carves out avenues for forgiveness where there were none before. If only time could be traversed that easily, like leaping from stone to stone to cross a river bed, water under the bridge. Instead it feels like an impossible mountain to climb. 

Mingyu huffs under his breath, harder than he means to. The truth is a fickle thing. Sometimes it has to be dressed up a little more to make it believable. Sometimes you don’t tell the truth at all. You say something else, something that disregards all the history that's been shared. Something that gives an excuse to start over again. 

He scrambles together a text, attaches a picture, and presses send. 

The reply is instantaneous. 

**seokku**

_so adorableee~_ 🥺🥺 _whose is she_

**minggu**

_Ours. Minghao named her Jiyeon._

Mingyu hesitates, thumb hovering over the button. Minghao snuffles in his sleep, one arm draped over Mingyu’s chest, the other curled protectively around their daughter. His heart aches at the sight of it. 

He presses send. _Come home. She’s got to meet our favorite ahjussi._

**seokku**

_AHJUSSI?!!?!? 🔪🔪🔪_

_samchon is fine mingyu-yah, but ahjussi is one step too far._

_im only two months older than u. remember ur place_ 🤬🤬

It’s dead silent on the other side for a while. Mingyu works his bottom lip with his teeth. Maybe he overstepped a line. He watches the dots appear, disappear, and appear again. Doesn’t realize he’s holding in a breath until it escapes out of him, full of relief. 

**seokku**

_fine, fine, u’ve convinced me._

_what a dirty trick kim mingyu_

_using ur baby daughter to con me_ 😠😠 

_i admit she’s cute but i draw the line here_

_absolutely immoral to involve a child in our ongoing war._

**minggu**

_^^ I knew you missed us._

**seokku**

_i missed hao***_

_i certainly did not miss u._

Mingyu laughs softly, careful not to disturb Minghao nor Jiyeon. Any respite they can get from her wailing is well appreciated, however brief, and they’ve only just managed to put her to sleep an hour ago. _Ah, love you too Seok-ah._

Seokmin’s reply: _debatable._ 😑😑 _u only want me for the free babysitting._

Mingyu wonders if it’s strange that this feels so familiar. Like putting on an old coat to find out it still fits. Even after all these years, Seokmin is still Seokmin, and Mingyu is still Mingyu. At least that much hasn’t changed.

**mingu**

_ㅋㅋㅋ Hey, if you’re offering_

**seokku**

_im not offering shit._

_hey, isnt it two am over there?_

_go to sleep, mingyu-yah_

_we can always talk in the morning,_

_im not going anywhere._

  
  
  
  
  
  


Minghao catches him the next morning, while they’re in the kitchen cleaning off the remnants of Jiyeon’s breakfast. She’s learning how to throw her food instead of eating it. It’s simultaneously awful and endearing. Mingyu still can’t believe this tiny little human is his. 

“Who was that you were talking to last night, _jagiya_?”

Mingyu looks away, embarrassed. “No one important. Just a friend.”

His husband lifts an eyebrow at that. “Oh- _kay_ ,” Minghao says, then wipes down the granite countertop, humming all the while. “If you say so.”

  
  
  
  
  
  


The next time Mingyu hears from Seokmin he’s at their front door, one hand poised as if to knock, the other already behind him, caught in the act of turning tail to run. 

“Superhuman hearing,” Mingyu says by way of explanation, his mouth already arranging itself into a beaming grin. “Have to, if I’m going to get anything done in this house with Jiyeon starting to walk now.”

“Ah, hi.” Seokmin waves meekly, nervously licking his lips. “Long time no see, I guess.”

“Seokmin?” Minghao pokes his head out from where he’s cooking in the kitchen. “Is that you?”

“Yeah, can you believe it?” Mingyu yells back. He turns to Seokmin. “Why don’t you come on in? We’re just getting lunch started, you can join us if you don’t have any plans.”

“Oh, okay,” Seokmin’s body holds so much tension in it as he takes off his shoes and steps inside. Mingyu takes in the sight of him, notes all the ways time has changed his memory, comparing the Seokmin of his mind to the Seokmin standing in front of him right now. There are more laughter lines etched into the creases of his face. Mingyu has to thank whoever’s been putting them there.

“It’s been too long,” Mingyu says softly. Sadly. 

Seokmin nods, lips quirking up into a wry smile. “It has, hasn’t it?”

They stand like that for a little while, silent in their rediscovery of what else they’ve missed about each other. Then Jiyeon comes bumbling around the corner, chubby arms windmilling and pudgy legs stumbling, propelling herself right into Seokmin’s leg.

“Hello,” she babbles delightedly, staring up at him, little hands coming up to reach towards the sky. 

“Hello yourself,” Seokmin says softly back, and obliges, swinging her up into his arms. He groans comically and pretends to stagger with the weight of it, which sends Jiyeon into uproarious laughter.

“Geez, what have you guys been feeding her?” Seokmin puffs his cheeks with feigned exertion. “Don’t you worry, Jiyeon, your _samchon’_ s here just in time to save you from your hopeless fathers.” He coos down on her, fingers moving to lightly tickle her nose. Jiyeon’s having a grand time, having found another person to serve her on this earth. Seokmin catches Mingyu looking at the both of them, sending him an earth-shattering grin.

And just like that, the gaping chasm that lies between them begins to shorten a little bit. Piece by piece.

  
  
  
  
  


“Eat more, Seokmin-ah,” Minghao clicks his tongue, frown growing in size. He’s armed with a serving spoon, his hand already moving to pile more kimchi fried rice onto Seokmin’s plate. “You’ve gotten so skinny. What have you been eating? Not instant _ramyeon_ , I hope.”

Seokmin looks at Mingyu pleadingly, eyes comically wide. Mingyu shakes his head pityingly. There’s no dissuading Minghao from anything he’s set his mind to. He’s learned that well enough over the years. 

Seokmin sighs, but his eyes are brimming with fondness as he rearranges his plate with his spoon. “Leave it here.” 

Minghao beams. 

  
  
  
  
  


Mingyu and Seokmin end up playing with Jiyeon after lunchtime, just the two of them. Minghao has to go to the office to sort some business out.

“Don’t burn the house down,” Minghao says, the message meant for Mingyu but the delivery directed at Seokmin. Mingyu takes full offense at this.

“I’ll be fine,” he mutters, all but pushing Minghao out the door.

" _We’ll_ be fine! I’ll make sure of it!” Seokmin calls, grinning even brighter when Mingyu slams it shut, harder than necessary. It’s a little childish, but whatever.

“I can’t believe he thinks _you’re_ the more responsible one out of the both of us,” Mingyu grumbles, walking back to where Jiyeon’s in the middle of a crisis - having to choose between playing with her favorite toy or the one that’s currently bouncing around in Seokmin’s hands.

“With great power comes great responsibility,” Seokmin says solemnly, voice going higher when Jiyeon comes to him. Mingyu spends a couple more minutes trying to coax Jiyeon from Seokmin’s arms, but she remains entranced by him, happy where she is. Mingyu doesn’t blame her, but he can still be mad about it. Traitor.

“I don’t get it,” Mingyu huffs, looking put out.

Seokmin laughs to defuse the awkwardness. “What don’t you get?”

“ _This,_ ” Mingyu says, gesturing to the scene before him. 

“I’m just holding a baby,” Seokmin says, matter of factly, holding the baby. But Jiyeon’s not crying or screaming or trying to wiggle out, all of the things that she usually does when Mingyu’s fussing around with her.

“But how are you so _good_ at it?” Mingyu asks petulantly. “She went to you right away! It took her a week for her to warm up to me.”

“No one’s good at babies right away,” Seokmin chuckles. “It just sorta... happens. ”

“Very helpful.” Mingyu rolls his eyes, but maybe the tremor in his voice betrays how he’s actually feeling.

Seokmin notices. He tries again, this time, softer. “You show them that they can come to you. Babies are like pets, words don’t make much sense to them. Maybe that’s why we get along so well.” The gravity of his words fall flat when Jiyeon begins reaching for the ball in earnest, grubby fingers accidentally catching Seokmin in the eye. 

“Did you train her to do that?” Seokmin yelps, incredulous. “Shame on you, Kim Mingyu, teaching your children to inherit your grudges.”

“I did no such thing,” Mingyu fires back. “Jiyeon does what she wants. If she wants to poke out your eye, good for her! I should have done it a long time ago.”

He gets a pillow to the head for that one. From then on, it’s all out war.

  
  
  
  
  


It’s evening now, and Minghao hasn’t returned home yet. They’re in the middle of watching a cartoon movie, the one about the cars that race. Mingyu can never remember the name. Both of them are too exhausted to move to turn on the lights, so they’re stuck in the dark, the television light casting an eerie glow over the room. 

He inches a toe forward, prodding Seokmin in the thigh, careful not to wake Jiyeon. 

“Hey,” he whispers. “Why’d you leave?”

Seokmin’s smile dims imperceptibly, in the dark. 

“Because I think I knew a part of me couldn’t bear it any longer if I’d stayed.” His gaze shifts a little, sliding just to the right to Mingyu’s head. Mingyu does not have to follow it to know that Seokmin is looking at a picture of Minghao caught out in the rain, smiling face turned up to the sky, content scrawled across all of his features. It is Mingyu’s most prized possession. 

And suddenly, Mingyu gets it. Seokmin says nothing more, just let the sounds and the images of the movie pass them by.

  
  
  
  
  


Mingyu wakes up to keys turning in the lock, a familiar melody.

  
“Mm?” He says blearily, wiping the sleep from his eyes as he jerks up unsteadily. There’s a body on both sides of him, snuggling up to him for warmth. “What time is it?” 

“Hush, don’t get up,” Minghao says gently with amusement. “It’s eleven, sorry I was out so late.” 

“Mm, s’ok,” Mingyu says, tilting his head up for a kiss. Minghao obliges, pressing one to his lips, another to the crown of Jiyeon’s hair. Another feathers the top of Seokmin’s head, but it happens so fast Mingyu doesn’t know if he dreamt it up.

“He’s still here?” Minghao asks bemusedly, placing his bag on the counter. Seokmin’s draped over Mingyu too, drooling freely onto his shoulder. “That fool.”

“Yeah,” Mingyu murmurs. “Must’ve fallen asleep with the television on.” 

Seokmin shifts, stirring. He jerks his head immediately when he realizes where it is, sitting up. Mingyu laments the loss of warmth, the insistent pressure, the knowledge of another person close to him. 

“What time’s it?”

“Eleven,” Minghao says, placing one hand on Seokmin’s arm. “Why don’t you stay, Seokmin-ah? It’s late, and we can get you a cab in the morning. Mingyu’s old clothes will fit you, and we’ve got plenty of extra toothbrushes in the guest bathroom.”

Mingyu looks at Seokmin, hope shining in his eyes. There’s so much that happens when someone leaves. It can take a while for them to return back to you. 

“Okay,” Seokmin says softly, more to himself than anything else. He settles back onto the couch. “Okay, I’ll stay.”

**Author's Note:**

> there is actually not nearly enough baby in here i'm sorry for that. also apologies for any inaccuracies, i'll be back to edit this later
> 
> as always, thank you for reading! <3 leave a little comment if you like, or find me on [ twitter](https://twitter.com/loveIees)


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